


A New Beginning

by chicka024, vampcoffeegyrl23



Series: OQ Happy Ending Week [3]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Dark OutlawQueen, F/M, OQ Happy Ending Week, OQHappyEndingWeek, dark oq
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-11
Updated: 2018-07-11
Packaged: 2019-06-08 22:27:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15253425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chicka024/pseuds/chicka024, https://archiveofourown.org/users/vampcoffeegyrl23/pseuds/vampcoffeegyrl23
Summary: OQ Happy Ending Day 3: Wednesday - Dark OQ





	A New Beginning

[ ](http://s1067.photobucket.com/user/Shelby_Carter/media/darkoq_zpsp92z2zcz.jpg.html)

**OQ Happy Ending Day 3: Wednesday - Dark OQ**

* * *

**A New Beginning**

The Queen rocks back and forth, nestling the soft bundle in her arms. A milky sweet smell fills her senses. She's been wrapped in warmth ever since she found out she was pregnant. Just like her first moments with Henry, the Queen finds peace here. Her sense of purpose is renewed by the unconditional love of the child. She leans in and smiles as Locksley kisses the back of the baby's head, the palm of his hand gently resting atop their daughter's tiny bundled feet. Their precious princess stares up at them with big blue eyes she inherited from her father. Only a few hours old and already so curious about the world.

The birth had exhausted The Queen. Even rising from the rocking chair is taxing, but she assures her husband that she's fine even as he pleads for her to rest. She carefully shifts the infant into his arms, heads out the double doors that lead to the balcony and breathes in the fresh spring air.

Locksley is at her side a moment later and she smiles at him warmly before bending to gently kiss her daughter's head. She knows they're both thinking the same thing, of the path that led them to this moment, to the happy ending she never dreamed could be possible, let alone achievable. She hadn't expected to survive the Final Battle. It had been Locksley who'd found her in the wreckage and nursed her back to health. Soon enough the villagers of the Enchanted Forest learned of her sacrifice. She'd helped save them all and was no longer seen as a villain.

As a reward, the citizens all agreed that she was deserving of her title as Queen. She and Locksley were free to live their lives peacefully. They had even adopted Roland and reunited with the Merry Men. Locksley had been overjoyed when his look-a-like's friends accepted him, giving him a chance to honour the memories of his own friends, taking on the moral code of his twin to make up for his years living without one. Roland understood that Locksley wasn't his real father and that the Queen wasn't entirely the Regina he was used to but even so, they formed a family.

The Queen and Locksley had wed in a small ceremony along the shoreline with many of their friends and family. Even the Queen's other half showed up much to her surprise. In the months that followed, they learned that the waters of Lake Nostos had been revived. Though nervous at the thought of being a mother again, the Queen drank from its water which reversed the curse on her fertility, allowing them to conceive the very child nestled in her father's arms.

On the day of the new heir's birth, a royal announcement was decreed and delivered to all corners of the realm. On it was a beautiful portrait of the royal family with words inscribed underneath: "It is with great joy that Her Majesty The Queen and Sir Robin Locksley announce the birth of their beloved daughter, the Royal Princess Willow." At first sight of the child, the Enchanted Forest knew that the future was in good hands.

When the young princess grows fussy, the Queen takes her in her arms, sweetly sings a lullaby, and breathes out a silent vow that her daughter will never suffer the torment or scrutiny of a smothering mother. Willow will be free to be whoever she wishes to be regardless of royal titles. It was all the Queen had ever wanted for Henry and Roland as well, just a chance to grow up to become who they were meant to be.

As if on cue, Roland races his way onto the balcony and tackles his stepfather's legs in a tight hug. The thief chuckles as he scoops the boy up, throws him high into the air and then settles him on his hip. Roland shrieks with giggles and leans his head over to stare inquisitively at the baby. He bends to kiss his little sister on the forehead and Locksley asks him about his archery lesson with his Uncle. Roland excitedly tells them all about the fun he had before he jumps down and insists it's time for a game of tag.

Locksley happily chases after him as the Queen looks out into their kingdom a few moments more. She cuddles her newborn close while the sound of laughter echoes off the walls behind her. She thinks of the happy years to come in this Kingdom that once feared her but now sees her as their trusted leader. She is grateful to have been defeated, and with love of all things.

She is exactly where she is supposed to be, on the right path to their new beginning, and none of the pain or darkness from the past matters anymore. When Roland summons her for story time, the Queen pries herself away from the balcony and heads back to the safety of the castle, a place that once served as the walls to her prison but is now her home.


End file.
